Gas installation equipment



Aug. 17, 1943. P. A. ANDERSON GAS INSTALLATION EQUIPMENT 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 30 B62157 15? fi ndeman Mk W 9 Aug. 17, 1943.

P. A. ANDERSON GAS INS TALLAT ION EQUIPMENT Filed June 50, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 inventor 0 fi ndem'on/ GtforncuS.

1943- P. A. ANDERSON 2,327,235

GAS INSTALLAT ION EQUIPMENT Filed June '50, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Imvcntor 2.9

@21 2" finderson Aug; 1?, 1943.

A. ANDERSON 2,327,235

GAS INSTALLATION EQUIPMENT Filed June so; 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ihwcntor Patented Aug. 17,1943

. UNITED STATES e r EN -r OFFICE V r 2,327,235" v V 'GASYINSTALLATION squirt mm:

l Feter'd. Anderson, Portland, Maine Application June 30, 1941, Serial No. 400.529

17 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in gas installation equipment, and more particua central plant is not available, such equipment consisting generally in an installation in which containers of the gas are mounted and installed in a position relatively to a regulator whereby the gas may be fed under regulation to the house or plant as consumer needs require, and at the exhaustion of each bottle or cylinder of gas; the same may be replaced by a replacement bottle filled with the particular gas being used.

In equipments of this nature double bottles or containers have been employed with a so-called pigtail for swinging from the exhausted bottle to the replacement bottle to'the end of improving the service in a matter of doubling the capacity of the source 0f gas.

Lately so-called cash and carry systems have been evolved in which the customer himself services his equipmentypurchasing the bottles or containers of the gas'from'an appropriate'source,

carrying such bottles and gas to destination and himself mounting and removing the bottles and connecting and disconnecting same to and from the equipment.

Certain objections have been met with inthis type of service inthat installations so far de 'veloped, in attempting to give accessibility and ease in operation to the customer, do not interpose s'ufficient difliculties against unauthorized tampering. Itis an object of the p e ntion to correct this; stated objection and to provide equipment which may be not only easily customer-serviced but will be substantially sealed against tampering by others or against removal of the bottles oricontainers, or against tampering with the regulator.

' It is another object of the present invention to so construct and'arrange the parts of the equipment relatively to each other as to enable the simultaneous locking of both cylinders or containers and with a single lock, in looking the reserve cylinder as well as the cylinder in service, in providing all external parts of metal including the pigtail, to provide improved support for the bottles, to provide improved equipment for the connection of the pigtail to the bottles, and in general to improve this type of equipment from a customer standpoint.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more, fully describedhereinafter, and will be more particularly pcintedout in the claims appended hereto. l

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts "throughout the several views,

Figurel is a top plan view'of an improved gas installation equipment constructed in accordance with the present invention'and with the two bottles in place and the device in locked condition. 7

Figure 2 is a front elevation with parts broken away and parts shown in section and with the bottles indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is'an end elevation with the wall or support shownein' section and as seen from the left in Figure 2. V

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken transversely through the equipment on the line 4-4 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the'top plate.

Figure 6 is a similar view of the installation frame.

Figure? is a pigtail showing the method of assembly to the bottle outlet and in position to effect connection. 'Figure dis a similar view with the wrench slid to inverted position at the proximal end of the pigtail and with the attaching screw slid to an intermediate position.

Figure 9 is a perspective view shown from the bottom of the improved form of captive wrench,

and I Figure 10 is a similar view of the attaching V screwsleeve.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 and I I designate two cylinders or bottles orother containers of compressed or other gas suitable for producing heat and light or for any other purpose, one of which bottles is in service and the other in reserve. The bottles according to the present practice are each equipped with two handles l2 and I3 at the upper dome shaped portions l4 thereof and at opposite sides of the center, the

. handles beinginclined as indicated. The bottle H is shown in service as being connected to the pigtail I5, which in this instance is made of fragmentary side elevation of the a flexibility to permit of its rotation along with the regulator I! when the pigtail I5 is shifted from one to the other bottle. 'A hose coupling 20 connects the lower end of the flexibl pipe l9 with a metallic service pipe I8 and extends through the floor or bottom plate 2| of the installation, to which it is afiixed by nuts 22 and 23 extending respectively above and below said bottom plate 2|. The upper square inlet boss 24 of the regulator is accommodated in the opening 25 made in the central bracket 26 of the main installation frame, which bracket overlies the central portion of the floor or bottom plate 2|, as best seen in Figure 6, with the opening 25' extending substantially vertically above the perforation 21 in the floor or bottom plate 2| through. which the hose coupling 20 passes.

The bottom plate 2| is of substantially the form shown in Figure 6 having incurved edges 28 complemental to the curvature of the side cylinder walls of the bottles I 0 and H which fit thereagainst, as indicated in Figure 3, in the supported positions of such bottles. l-he-incurved edges 28 of the bottom plate 2| at their proximal edges unite in an apex 29 which producesa substantially triangular forwardly projecting bottom plate structure for entering between the mutual cylinder surfaces of the side walls of the two bottles i0 and H when suspended in juxtaposition as shown in Figure 1. Thus the bottom wall 2| blocks off the entire space between the rear portions of the bottles from underneath, preventing-access from beneath in anupwarddirem tion to the regulator IT.

The bottom plate 2| is reinforced and strengthened byan upturned rear flange 30 whichalso has the function to support the bottom plate 2| from other parts of the frame; and incidentally this flange 38 forms the lower tie bar between spaced vertical risers 3| and 32, preferably in the form of wide sheet metal plates, out of which material it is preferred to make the frame although this is not critical= However, sheet metal of a heavy gauge lends itself readily vto welding and the necessary strength and stiffness can be secured by welding of the flange 30 to the plates 3| and 32 along the lower portions thereof.

At the upper portions of the plates 3| and 32 are side brackets 33 and 34 containing hooks or supports for the engagement of the handles l2 and 3 of the bottles iii and I! by which to support such bottles. The brackets and hooks in the instance shown are all made integrally with the back plates by first bending the material forwardly on the line 35 to produce the horizontal bracket portions 33 and 34 extending forwardly from the back plates 3| and 32 a suitable distance, whereupon the material is bent upwardly to produce the vertical yoke portions 36 from which are bent rearwardly the bill portions 31. The bills 37 of the hooks may lie insubstantial parallelism with the bracket portions 33 although the hook might be otherwise formed.

Inasmuch as considerable weight of the bottles devolves upon the hooks, it is desirable to appropriately brace these hooks from beneath and to this end diagonal brace members 38 and 39 are positioned at this point extending horizontally across the frame at its upper portion and respectively beneath the side bracket members 33 and 34. The brace members 38 and -39 may conveniently be both carried by an upper tie-*bar 43 which overlaps the risers. 3| and 32 and may be welded thereto; The diagonal brace members 33 and 39. also preferably have upper flanges 4| and 42 which lie beneath and in supporting contact with the forward free portions of the side brackets 33 and 34 to which they are preferably welded or secured in some other appropriate manner.

The diagonal brace members 38 and 39 are separated by a central gap 43 which accommodates the regulator l1. Disposed above this gap is the central bracket 26 which is partially supported by underlying tongues t and 45 forming parts of the diagonal brace members 38 and 39. These tongues may be weldedto the central racket 26. Such central bracket 25 is also supported at its rear edge by a vertical wall 45 which extends down to a position overlapping the rear of the tie bar 40 to which it may be welded. The vertical Wall t5 and the horizontal bracket 25 with its connections to the tongues t4 and 4 5 forms a bridge about the removed central gap portion 43 of the diagonal braces 38 and 39, thus reinforcing and strengthening the structure at thi point.

The central bracket 26 performs the further function of carrying the upstandin g'lug 4'! at its outer end, which lug 4? is provided with the perforation G8to receive the shackle of the padlock 49 shown in Figures 1 and 2. The risers 3| and 32 have in their upper portions keyhole slots Sllfor receiving therethrough the heads of screws or other fastenings previously partially driven into the wall or other support 5%; the arrangement being that the entire frame is fitted to the wall with the larger lower portions of the keyhole slotsregistering with the heads of the screws 52, the frame being thereupon pushed backwardly' over the heads of the screws and thenfallowedto descend with the narrow portions of the keyhole slots 50 fitting ,over the shanks of the screws, the heads of the screws then becominglocking membersfor holding the frame to the wall. After this operation access I V thescrews by a screw driver or other implement-through openings 53 made horizontally opposite such screws -in the i diagonalbrace members 38-ar1d 39. Also in the lower portions of the plates perforations 5 4 may be made through-which screws or other'fastenings may be passed to further secure the frame to the supporting wall 5|.

The top plate is shown more particularly in Figure 5 and is represented generally at 55, the same having a slot 56 to receive therethrough the upstanding lug ll, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

At its rear portion the top plate 55, also preferably. of heavy gauge sheet metal, may be bent downwardly to form a stiffening and reirL orcing flange 5?. Adjacent the ends of such flange 57 are downturned lugs 58 for resting upon the side brackets 33 and 34 rearwardly of the hooks 3'1.

The top plate at its forward edge is formed with a downturned flap or apron 59 of a central triangular downwardly projecting construction and withincurved edges 60 to conform generally to the curvature of the dome or breast portions M of the two bottles for the purpose, asshown in Figure 2, of obstructing the widening gap made between the upper portions of thetwo adjacent bottles and which would ordinarily permit access through this gap to the regulator H.

The top is also provided, with a V shaped slot the two members of which are indicatedat 6| and 62. Such slots meet rearwardly in the enlarged opening 63. At their outer ends the member slots 6| and 62 terminate respectively in enlarged openings 64 and 65. The opening 64 is arranged above the outlet of thebottle l0; whilethe opening 65 is disposed above the outlet of the companion bottle H. The opening 63 is above the regulator andreceives therethrough the pigtail i adjacent its point of connection 16 with the regulator l1. 1'

. Slidably mounted'on the .pigtail is a wrench member having. diametrically opposed wrench handles 56 and a' tubular portion 61 slidable on the pigtail pipe l5. Depending from the tubular portion 61 are..projections 68 adapted to enter notches 59 in the nut it. This nut is also slidable on the pigtail and is threaded into the socket of the bottle for causing the end of the pigtail to be fitted to the outlet ofthe bottle with a gas tight leak-proof fit.

In operation, the customer or proprietor purchases the bottles, preferably in pairs In and II, from the source or from a retail establishment paying generally cash therefor, transports such bottles to destination, and hangs them by their handles upon the hooks of the installation frame. To accomplish this the top plate 55 is removed, which leaves the frame in substantially the open position shown in Figure 6; in which event it is an easy matter for any novice to insert the handles I2 01' [5 over the hooks 31 and to permit the bottles to descend, rotating about the center formed by the engagement of the hook with the handle until the lower portion of the bottle strikes the incurved edge 28 of the bottom plate 2|. The relative arrangement of hooks 3'! and incurved edges 28 is such as to preferably support the bottle in a substantially upright position'as seen inFigures 3 audit. The actof thus hanging the bottles upon the hooks causes the bottom plate 2! to substantially close .the interior space lying above the bottom plate 2| and in rear of the two bottles whose cylindrical walls are contiguous along the diametric line seen in Figure l which run parallel to the back or supporting wall 5|,

When the two bottles l5 and H have been thus assembled to the frame, the pigtail connection is made to a selected bottle by running the cylindrical screw it outwardly to the distal end it of the pigtail 5, at which distal end there is a rounded or conical surface for mating with a similar surface on the'outlet part of the bottle to make a tight connection. shoulder F2 to engage the cylindrical screw iii to prevent the screw from becoming disengaged from the pigtail 15, as for instance while the pigtail is being swung from one to the other bot-- tle. The wrench, being engaged with the cylindrical screw it as shown in' Figure '7, the cylindrical screw is turned home into the threaded socket of the bottle and a gas tight connection is thus formed allowing the compressed gas in the bottle to pass through the pigtail l5, under the action of the regulator H to the service pipe !8. The wrench 56 is thereupon returned over the pigtail l5 from the distal to theproximal end taking up the position substantially as shown in Figure 8.

The top plate 55 is allowing it to descend vertically with one'of the slot members El or 52 receiving therethrough the metallic pigtail 15. This pigtaii remains permanently in place as respects its connection H5 with the regulator ii. This point of connection i6 is the proximal end of the pigtail i5 articulating through the regulator ii and the flexible hose is and its twisting action with the service pipe lit.

The top plate 55 is lowered until the lugs 58 encounter the side brackets 33 and 34. These lugs 58 therefore delimit the downward motion There is also a z thereupon put in place by of the top plate 55, assuring that the top plate is brought to a correct position where theapron 59 will be arrested-in its finalproper relationship with the'two bottles. YThe movement" of the top plate is'also' arrested bythe necks '13 of the bottles as indicated in'Figures 3 ands. Also these stops or limiting devices cause the top plate 55 to move down sufiiciently over the perforated lug 41' to expose the perforation 48 thereabove for the padlock. 49, to the end that such padlock will lock the top plate 55 in position on the frame. The top plate excludes accessibility to the hooks 31 and prevents the bottles being lifted suficiently' to disengage the handles thereof from the hooks. Also the side lugs 58 of the top plate 55 in connection with the rear edges of the hooks 31 tend to destroy the clearance back of the bills 31 oithe'hooks which would admit ofthe release ofthe handles. 1 Also the top plate 55 envelopes and covers the wide spread handles 56 of the inverted-wrench at the proximal end of thepigtail', as shown in Figure 2, thus closing off accessibility to the wrench and preventing its being moved out on the Pigtail l5. 1

When one bottle. has become exhausted, and the customer wishes to connect the other bottle, he first removes the entire top-plate, disconnects the empty bottle, swings the pigtail to the full bottle and-connects it, removes the empty bottle, and replaces andlocks the top plate. He then exchangesthe empty bottle .for a full one, again removes top plate, hangs the new bottle where the previous empty one was located, relocates top plate and locks it. l r The openings 63, 64 and 65 accommodate a slight variation of the location of valve on the cylinders. The slots Gland 62 accommodate the pigtail when lifting the topplate off and lowering it back into position. I

The bottles'themselevs will prevent access to the fastening means 52 and therefore the device cannot be removed from the wall 5| as a unit. It will be appreciated from the foregoing that Ithe frame with its bottom plate 2| and topplate result. The flap or apron 59 prevents unauthor-- ized persons ,from reaching in between the cylinders and tampering with the regulator in any.

respect.

When one cylinder is. exhausted the customer may remove completely the top plate 55 in changing the connection of the pigtail l5 to the reserve cylinder if he so desires. The slots inthe top plate permit the removal and replacement of this top plate without disturbing the pigtail, thus making the equipment accessible to the customer.

i In thepresent instance the rubber hose I9 is completely enclosed. 'Animals'have' been known to gnaw off such rubber connections where ex posed externally with damage to the equipment and necessary suspension of service. The present device obviates not only this difiiculty but lengthens the life .of' the hose because it is not exposed to the sun and weather. The pigtail l5n1ay be made of'copper which is bendable for use in accommodating the same to the bottles In changing connections of the pigtail from onebottle to. another, itisunnecessary to move the. entire regulatorfrom onebottle to the other. In the present equipment the rubber hose on the inside of the installation allows the regulator to turns the amount necessary to shift the .pigtail from one to the other bottle. The top plate covers the valve of the reserve bottle and prevents tampering therewith;

It is obvious that various changes andmodifications may be made in the details of construc tion and design of theabove specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from thespirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

.1. In gas installation equipment for a pair of substantially cylindrical containers having dome shaped tops with valves therein and handles thereon, a frame, means for securing the frame to a support, hooks on the frame for releasably engaging the handles of the containers and positioned relatively to one another to support the containers in substantially contiguous relation, a substantially triangular bottom plate on the frame for closing the included space between and at the rear portions of said containers and 7 having incurved edges for encountering the containers to cooperate withsaid hooks in holding the. containers substantially upright, a top plate assemblable on the frame and saidcontainers and so-constructed and arranged as to close the hooks and shut on access to the valves of the containers, a substantially triangular'apron depending from said top plate for closing the ineluded space between and above the dome top portions of the containers, a 'pigtail swingable above said. top plate for movement from one container to the other, said top plate having slots for receiving said pigtail, a service pipe, a regulator connected to the pigtail, a twistable connection between said regulator and service pipe, said connection and regulator being located in: the enclosed space between and in rear of said containers, and means for releasably locking said top plate in operative position on said frame, plgtail and, containers. I a

2. In gas installation equipment'for substantially cylindrical gas containers having dome shaped top portions and handles, a frame, supports on the frame detachably engageable by handles-of the containers for sustaining the 'containers in substantially contiguous position,- a bottom plate on the frame of substantially triangular form for closing the space included between and in the. rear of said containers and having incurved edges to receive the walls of the containers to cooperate'with said supports to hold the container substantially upright, a pigtail swingable from one to the other container, and a top plate releasably and interlockingly connected with said frame having an apron so constructed and arrangedas to substantially fit into the included space between the dome portions of the contiguous containers, said top plate also having means for locking said pigtail in place. i I

3. In gas installation equipment for substantially cylindrical'containers having valves in their upper portions, supporting means for supporting a pair of containers in substantially contiguous relation, a bottom plate on said supporting means of substantially triangular form for fitting in the included space between and. in rearof the cylindricalcontainers, a top plate such included space and means to lock said plate in releasably supportedv on said supporting means of sucha nature that it shuts off access to the valves of the containers, a pigtail swingingly mounted to move from one container to the other, and a service pipe for taking off the gas from said pigtail, said top plate when in operative position adopted to lock said pigtail in place. I

a. In gas installation equipment for a pair of substantially cylindrical containers, supporting means for supporting the containers in substantially contiguous relation, a bottom plate so constructed and arrangedv as to close the included gap between the supporting means and the sides and rear portions of said containers, a service pipe extending through said bottom plate, a rotary connection to said service pipe in said included space, a pigtail connected to said service pipe and swingable from one to the other container, and a top plate for closing said included spaoeat the upper portion thereof and locking said p-igtail in place.

5. In gas installation equipment for containers of substantially cylindrical form, supporting means for supporting a pair of such containers in substantially contiguous relation, a bottom plate so constructed and arranged lat it cooperates with the containers in the relation stated to close from beneath the included space at the mutual side portions of th cylindrical containers back the contiguous line, a top plate for releasably enclosing the upper portion of such included space, and equipment carried by said supporting means in said included space rendered inaccessible by said bottom and top plates and by the presence of the containers on the supporting means for taking off under control the contents of said containers.

6. In gas installation equipment, supporting means for a pair of substantially cylindrical containers in substantially contiguoi. relation, means for closing o-iT to access from beneath the included space rearwardly of the contiguous line between the containers, means for closing of? from above, a metallic sWivelly-mounted pigtail extending above said last named means and movable selectively from one container to the other, said last named means adapted to lock the pigtail in a selected position, equipment carried by said supporting means in such included space rendered inaccessible by means for taking off under control the contents of the containers by way of said pigtail.

'7. In gas installation equipment including a gas bottle having a handle, a frame having a hook to detachably receive the handle of a gas bottle, and a top plate movable against said hook to close the same, said plate extending over a portion of the top of the bottle in engagement therewith.

8. In gas installation equipment including a valved bottle having a handle, a frame having a hook to detachably receive the handle of the gas bottle, a plate removably closing said hook and having a portion spanning the valve of the bottle,

place on the hook and bottle.

top plate for detachably said hook and having a portion extending across the open bill of the hook to form a keeper for such hook, said plate extending across a por-- tion of the bottle in engagement therewith.

10. In gas installation equipment including a gas bottle having a valve, supporting means for detachably supporting a gas bottle, locking means for closing said supporting means against removal of the bottle and having a part to extend over and mask the valve of the bottle, said locking means having an opening to expose the outlot of the bottle, and a member carried by said supporting means and detachably connected'with said outlet for taking off the contents of said bottle, said member adapted to be locked in place on said supporting means.

11. In a gas installation equipment including a gas bottle having a handle and a valve, a bracket having a hook with an open bill at its upper forward portion for detachably receiving the handle of the gas bottle, and a locking plate for extending over and closing said hook and having a part extending downwardly therefrom rearwardly of the hook for acting as a stop to engage the bracket and. prevent the rocking movement of the locking plate and also acting as a keeper for the open mouth of said hook, said plat also having a portion extending forwardly of the hook for engaging over and masking the valve of the bottle, said locking plate having an opening over the outlet of the bottle, and means flexibly carried by said supporting bracket and detachably connecting through said opening with the outlet for taking off the contents of the bottle, said means adapted to be locked in place by said locking plate.

12. In gas installation equipment, a back plate, brackets carried adjacent the top and the sides thereof and having hooks for detachably engaging the handles of a pair of gas bottles to hold same in contiguous'relation, said hooks being.

open and accessible from above the hooks, a top plate extending in common over said hooks and closing the same and having downturned lugs at the rear portions thereof, to engage said brack- Zets across the mouths of thehooks, and means for locking said topplate in place.

13. In as installation equipment, aframe, side and central brackets carried by said frame, hooks on the side brackets adjacent the tops thereof for detachable engagement by the handles of a pair of gas bottles supported by said hooks in substantially contiguous relation, said hooks having their open' portions disposed on their upper portions and accessible from above the hooks, a top plate extending over and closing said hooks and having delimiting means positioned and adapted to encounter said brackets and to extend as keepers across the open mouths of said hooks, said top plate having an opening therein, and a padlock receiving member on the central bracket extending up through said top plateopening to lock the plate in its operative position. v

14. In gas installation equipment, supporting means for holding a pair of gas bottles in substantially contiguous relation, a metallic pigtail swivelly mounted on' the supporting means for moving from one to the other of the bottles, and a sealing plate having a substantially V-shaped slot to accommodate said pigtail in either position without interfering with the opening and closing movements of said sealing plate, and means to secure said sealing plate in the sealing position to lock the lock pigtail in either position.

15. In gas installation equipment, supporting meansfor holding a gas bottle, a sealing plate for said supporting means having a slot therein, an external durable gas connection carried by the supporting means and detachably connected to the bottle and received through said slot, and means for locking the sealing plate to said supporting means and lock the gas connection in place.

16. In gas installation equipment, supporting means for a gas bottle, and a sealing plate for the supporting means having a slot therein, an external durable. connection adapted to extend through said slot and having proximal and distal ends with the distal end engageable with the threaded outlet socket in the bottle, the proximal end of the durable connection being carried by the bottle supporting means beneath the sealing plate, a cylindrical screw loosely and slidably mounted on said connection for detachable connection with the threaded socket of the bottle, and a wrench also slidably mounted on said connection separable from said screw, said screw and wrench having mutual means for mating to cause rotation of the screw from said wrench, said wrench adapted to be slid to the proximal end of the connection and beneath said sealing plate to be rendered inaccessible by said plate.

17. In gas installation equipment, supporting means for holding a pair of gas bottles, a pigtail flexibly mounted on said supporting means for connecting one or the other bottles with a house service pipe, a sealing plate for said bottles and supporting means having a substantially V- shaped slot with enlarged openings over the outlet sockets of thebottles andover the proximal end of the pigtail, a wrench having a cylindrical body portion looselyand slidably mounted on said pigtail and having substantially diametri cally opposite arms wider than the opening about the proximal end of the pigtail, and a hollow screw also slidable on the pigtail and adapted to enter the outlet sockets of the bottles in sequence, said screw and wrench having detachable mating parts, and means to lock the sealing plate on said supporting means to lock the pigtail in place.

PETER A. ANDERSON. 

